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I discovered the #LoveHasNoBorders on Twitter where interracial families, friends and couples are sharing their stories. In light of the upsetting xenophobia which has been pushed forward particularly by the far right, who fail to understand that every story has it’s own human face and merits, I thought this quick post was fitting.

As the world gets smaller, borders seem to be getting unfairly discriminatory towards people who just want to live, love and not have to face the horrendous attitude and prejudices towards immigrants at the moment. Borders are superficial, but the emotions created by treating someone without dignity are real. As I said, every story has a human face. People migrate to new countries all the time for many reasons whether that be for work, refuge or to join family. And through that journey there is love, hardships and potential fear, especially if leaving a dangerous country to seek refuge. Compassion does not have to mean accepting anyone anywhere at anytime without any form of criteria, but it does mean respecting that fundamentally we are all human, and fear of a minority group should not overtake our solidarity and desire to offer support to those who need it most.

Let us build bridges, not walls and understand that we all have far more in common than our differences. Nationality is determined by a piece of paper but how you treat those who are different to you can never be bought.

2016 HAS ALMOST COME TO AN END! It has already begun in some parts of the world, and is serving as a beacon of hope for many to start afresh after a year of controversial events from Brexit and the US election to the coalition bombing of Syria and refugee crisis, as well as the devastating number of terror attacks all around the world that have occurred. Being such an eventful year, it has proven to be a testing point for our strength and therefore I like to think of my New Years Resolution to be universal to everyone.

I pray that time eases the grief and heals the wounds that have been caused by this year, and that the world moves on with hope, love, compassion and the strive to make 2017 not my year nor your year. But the year of humankind. And a year in which we actively embark on breaking down the artificial differences which have divided humanity.

Let’s go into 2017 with the motivation, passion and strive to truly do what is just and fulfilling of our time here on Earth, whether that be to achieve a goal you’ve always wanted to, or actively change how you interact with others. Always remember that although it is a new year, it doesn’t define the pace of or even when you start to make a difference to yourself or others. Whenever you feel change, take that as your new beginning. After all, time flies!

World leaders should be ashamed of the lack of diplomacy and co-operation, as well as the clear struggle to find common ground on defining who the opposition is in Syria which has translated to the current situation – Syria’s imminent destruction. The politics behind the war has become irrelevant when you see it for what it now is – an aimless battleground in which civilians have become the number one victim. Over 4 million civilians have been killed, with hospitals and schools turned into bloodbaths due to the aggressive air strikes against loosely defined territory.

My heart truly goes out to the thousands who remain, with many filming their last goodbyes to truly demonstrate the ignorance of powerful world leaders who have failed to use their influence in forcing a solution in the name of humanity. Throughout the four years of this conflict, we have prayed/donated/viewed the situation from the comfort of our screens, expecting a forthcoming solution. Many have protested. Many have even volunteered to provide aid abroad. But here we are. The UN predicted that Aleppo would be inhabitable by Christmas and here we are. It’s unfortunate that as citizens, our appeals to those in power can be met with great ignorance and expectation that we apparently don’t understand conflict from a insider governmental perspective. I’ve always found that ironic as I’m pretty sure that the innocent Syrian civilians who have nothing to do with this proxy war of either side understand that IT IS CIVILIANS WHO TAKE THE LARGEST HIT OF THE CONFLICT. Their lives are casually being taken in the hundreds for the uncertainty that a couple of terrorists may live in ‘that area’. The ideology of barbaric terror groups such as Daesh must be fought, not with guns or bombs, but with education, reconstruction and through a greater understanding and engagement of Syrians who want to live and breathe the once pure air of a prosperous, thriving Syria.

Although many of us currently feel disillusioned and helpless, the most important thing right now is to hear their cries, petition governments and speak out. But whatever we do, we must never forget them….

SIGN these petitions to the British government, urging immediate aid drops, even if it’s the only thing you do:

2016 has so far been one crazy year. And revolutionary in the context of global politics. Britain chose to leave the European Union in June and Americans, this month, elected Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for President of the United States.

So much of the media focus has been on the events themselves, such as the implications of the vote, whether it will be a hard or soft Brexit as well as the effects of a divisive, outspoken President as leader of the ‘free world’. While Presidents can be restricted and the terms of the leaving of the EU negotiated, we can’t deny the shocking reality of the climate of politics that the campaign focuses have shown the world. Why are the words of Marine le Pen of the National Front in France and Donald Trump’s rhetoric gaining credibility with an overwhelming sector of society?

It can’t be denied that people have legitimate concerns such as the rise of terrorism and fear of the near future. But we fail to look at the bigger picture. We fail to realise that while we absolutely should be concerned about ensuring the prosperity and stability of the nation, we can’t deny the huge influence the US and the UK have collaboratively on the rest of the world. It doesn’t help to make sweeping statements such as calling for a ban/registry of Muslims (or whatever Trump has changed it to since) or blaming the influx of Syrian refugees as the whole cause of the collapse of society. Immigration is undoubtedly a vote swayer yet has been so viciously manipulated, that people are forgetting the deep rooted problems which have existed far beyond this. The shrewdness of far right politicians, who fail to address the real reasons for the state of the economy instead blame it on the next person, yet are unable to come up with a potential solution.

It’s easy for people like Trump to want rid of Obamacare but not addressing what it will be replaced with. His sudden call for ‘unity’ is a very different nature to what got him elected, which attracted the likes of KKK members and far right supremacists. Many sincere voters voted for Brexit, though it was also manipulated by some to spout their twisted, fascist agendas of dislike of difference. This re-iterates the fact that many right wing politicians, who are gaining such a widespread platform are a symptom of the ingrained hatred that some are being manipulated to feel anger against minorities, immigrants, the LGBT community and even woman.

We have to look beyond what divides us because it’s simply wrong to make complex and genuine issues into black and white ones in which it’s ‘them’ vs ‘us’. Excluding whole sectors of society from discussion doesn’t help solve these problems. Nor does falling for the trap of the apparent ‘saviours’ from the establishment – two rich, older White males posing for a picture in a golden elevator. Many adore them because they have a false misconception that they are straight talking and apparently say it how it is. Okay, but in theory, what can they realistically do? Not much without violating basic principles of humanity. We are not going to get £350m extra for the NHS by leaving the EU. Many Europeans will already have the right to remain in the UK, and ironically, many work for sectors like the NHS and the educational sector. Donald Trump has already gone back on his claims that he will passionately build a wall on the Mexican border, instead now settling for a fence. Yet many voters voted on these grounds. So not only have many been played, but have been exposed for their hateful agenda which will destroy the foundations of the world if used by politicians to gain popularity.

We live in a globalised world where it is not about one country or the other, but about one people. We all have our own interests, but did we ever think about the greater good? The far right slam this conception by labelling you as a ‘liberal’, which is hardly an insult if that means you value the dignity and freedom of all to live in harmony and safety regardless of race, religion, beliefs, gender, disability, sexual orientation or any other artificial differences which have for far too long been used to divide people. Groups of people need to stop be being used as brownie points or bargaining chips by self-centred political extremists, disguised as a mainstream politician. Rant over. #SPREADLOVE

I thought I’d make a post showing solidarity with the victims of not only the recent attacks in Iraq, Bangladesh, the United States, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and France, but in the rest of the world, where more terror attacks than the media has shown us have occurred simply in 2016. Amongst those who have been victims this year include: Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Egypt, Israel, Gaza, Syria, Nigeria, Russia, Libya, Tunisia, Thailand, Sudan, India, Congo, Burundi, Germany, Bahrain, Niger.

I’m in no doubt that there are far more countries that have experienced some form of loss as a result of heartless souls who turn to terrorism to fulfill their twisted agendas. I don’t want to even think about the number of deaths and causalities they have amounted to over the years. Just reading the list of countries makes me so upset, as this is only referring to 2016, where terror attacks or some form of disruption caused by humans seems to have become the norm, which is so sad for the future generation to grow up in.

The list of countries who have suffered just goes to show that no place is truly safe from these attacks, and while some countries have suffered considerably more, particularly where terrorism is far more normal than in the West, every single life lost is a tragedy, no matter their race, religion or background. Terrorism on any grounds is repulsive, whether it be for political or religious justifications. It has always horrified me that terror groups such as IS, who, in my disgust, pleasantly take responsibility for many of these attacks, having no clear regard for humanity.

While words won’t make a major difference in undoing the endless pain that the families of the victims will continue to suffer from their losses, I think it’s important to let the world know that the vast majority of Muslims stand with you in horror at their barbarism and solidarity always, as they continuously to target indiscriminately, killing both Muslims and non Muslims alike. The very thought that God demands the death of his people is absolutely absurd – their so called ‘jihad’ refers to a just war in a battlefield, with serving soldiers, NOT civilians. They continue to use religion as a scapegoat for some of their politicized aims which is why this sudden surge of the trend of ‘Islamism’ is on it’s rise. As so called ‘Muslims’, they have broken every rule of God.

As opposed to feeding to the stereotypes and misunderstandings that occur, ALL good people, no matter their caste or creed must unite to defeat this phenomenon of terrorism, which has been seen to occur from lone wolf attacks to being part of a larger network, from terrorists of completely different backgrounds, such as in Bangladesh with the shooting of foreigners at a popular cafe in Dhaka, where the attackers were found to be very rich, and in other instances where some were not religious at all. Whatever the reasoning, terrorism is terrorism and we MUST fight it together before it continues it’s gains in a divided society.

#NotInMyName #PrayForHumanity

Don’t forget to SHARE, COMMENT and LIKE to get this important message across 🙂

Once again, a surge of terrorist attacks have taken place across the globe in France, Lebanon and Iraq, which sadly shadow the countless terror attacks earlier this year, including the Charlie Hebdo attacks, as well as the suicide bombings in mosques in Kuwait and Sanaa. Again, referring to Paris, the attack seemed heavily politically motivated in an apparent response to Syrian airstrikes, and the suicide bombings were both against Shia Muslims simply practicing their interpretation of their faith. The bombing at the funeral in the Mosque in Baghdad killed 19, with 41 deaths at least in the incident of Beirut and 129 in Paris. Reactions are just as equal to my reactions in recent attacks which I’ve passed grievances too – the feeling of distraught and pain for the grieving families but also anger and the feeling of absolute intolerance to the perpetrators, regardless of whether they are affiliated to an Islamist terror group or not.

It not only hurts and upsets me that these terrorists, who clearly are not right in the head have once again hidden behind and disturbed the name of a religion that 1.6 billion cherish, but the fact that they have some form of twisted logic which makes them think that innocent people, regardless of the political situation or what a certain government is doing, should be dragged into a conflict that they have no affiliation to. This is certainly a type of terrorism which is difficult to explain as these people selfishly kill harmless beings to feed their perverted and twisted interpretation of Islam (in fact, what’s left of it) and then have the nerve to destroy Islamic history, some of which is attributed to the Prophets, as well as kill people of their own apparent religion at a funeral IN a Mosque! It is upsetting that the people stuck in the middle of the conflicts always suffer the most, most probably as they have nothing to do with the conflict, and therefore the most vulnerable. It’s devastating how 129 Parisians were killed enjoying themselves, while 19 Shia Muslims were killed at the worst state – at a funeral, as well as countless killed in prayer. It can’t be denied that it makes you think that there is more to these terrorists than we are led to believe.

My deepest thoughts and prayers go out to the families and victims of these abhorrent attacks, which are likened to killing the whole of humanity, in the words of the Quraan. You will not be forgotten. A world in which we can put religious, political, racial and any other divisional factors aside will be a world more valued and loved. It is my deepest regret that innocent souls continue to unfairly pay the price of them. Terrorism has no affiliation with any of these factors, but rather come from people who are unlike the true upholders and protectors of these factors. And if it wasn’t loud enough, for whatever reason, or clear enough, then I, on behalf of over a billion of Muslims condemn these attacks and always will. Before anything else, I am a human and will ALWAYS be in solidarity with the victims of any attack, regardless of who they are. This goes without saying and to be honest, should not even have to be said. I may be Muslim, but I am also human. RIP, citizens of humanity ❤

So yesterday I watched the devastating events of theSydney Siege as they unfolded – where innocent citizens at a Lindt cafe were subjected to 16 hours of being kept hostage, and with shots being fired, wounding and killing two civilians. It was heart breaking to watch as the events unfolded, and as predicted, it was some loonatic committing disgusting acts in the name of Islam, who absolutely does not represent the morals and values of the majority of Muslims in Australia and around the world. I found it crazy that he could even be associated with Islam, considering his acts of torture and terror goes against the values expected to be upheld by Muslims.

Whoever kills a soul, it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely’

(5:32)

He was, like many terror creating beings, a dangerous creation of the wrongful grooming into Islamic Extremism. Some people tend to uphold a very deliberate and extremist interpretation of Islam. The fact that he was holding a flag with the Arabic translation of ‘There is none worthy of worship but God’ meant nothing – his actions proved that this was man that should’ve been locked up, as he had committed many other unlawful acts before, and was a clearly a man not willing to change.

However, there will always be some bigot who will use this headline as a reason to spread hatred amongst Muslims and the public, as seen with many events before. The fact that thousands of Australians went to twitter to spread the #IllRideWithYou hashtag, after a woman founded it when a Muslim woman took her headscarf off and began to cry because of the hate attacks immediately afterwards was heart warming, but most importantly, a sign that the unification of Muslims who want to simply co-exist peacefully with their fellow citizens is a bond much stronger, and a much better defense than any other terror act will ever be. It also signifies that peace will always dominate bigotry, and that those who wish to spread harm and terror upon others have no place there. Unification will always beat isolation and discrimination! ❤

My deepest compassions go out to the innocent lives lost, and to their families as they grieve. RIP ❤